I like to put a watermark that says "This design is the property of HBTF" across the drawing in a difficult to white out place.
None of us like the thought of a potential client handing over our drawings that we spent half a day or more on (and which they really like) to a "less creative" framer so he can use it to undercut me on my own design which he could never have come up with on his own. And yes, it is unethical, Bruce. Did they know it? Maybe not. I don't think people always realize the work we put into this kind of thing.
And Mike, it isn't really much at all like comparing prices on commodities or other standardized products from two vendors. There is no custom design involved in that.
But I do realize that the potential client may view it that way. That's why we need to explain that what we are showing them took several hours of highly skilled time and years of experience to be able to produce, and that we value it highly and expect them to, as well, by keeping it to themselves.
"We are sharing these drawings with you at this point -- before you have hired us -- for two reasons. First, we are providing this information in order to communicate what we are proposing to design and build for you, based on the conversations we have had about your project. And secondly, we believe that these preliminary drawings will help illustrate the skill we will bring to the design process of this project. We feel like we have developed a creative design concept that will meet your needs and in return for sharing this with you, we only ask that you consider this proposal and the accompanying design work confidential."
Another way to handle it is to show them the drawings, but don't hand them over. I've done this before when I knew I was dealing with a client who was talking to several other people and what they wanted required some creative problem solving. I met with them and went over some preliminary drawings and a proposal and then explained that I wasn't going to leave the drawings with them and why. I can't say they were happy about it, because I just knew they wanted to pass it out like candy to several other firms, but they understood and we got the job. I think we got the job because the other guys couldn't figure out an easy way to do the work given the constraints. If I had shared my prelims, I am sure we would have been undercut by someone else.
